New England Patriots
Eagles receiver AJ Brown, who performed for coach Mike Vrabel in Tennessee, has ceaselessly come up as a potential commerce candidate.
Because the Patriots resolve which positions to improve in the course of the offseason, extensive receiver appears as if it will be excessive on the precedence record.
Eagles receiver AJ Brown, who performed for coach Mike Vrabel in Tennessee, has ceaselessly come up as a potential commerce candidate. He’s coming off of his fourth consecutive 1,000 yard season, and at age 28, he’ll doubtless have loads of soccer forward of him.
How a lot would the Patriots want to surrender to get him? ESPN requested a group of 4 insiders to place collectively hypothetical trades and clarify why they may make sense.
ESPN’s Seth Walder had the Patriots giving up a 2026 first-round decide, a 2026 third-round decide, and a 2026 sixth-round decide in change for Brown and a 2026 second-round decide.
“The Patriots made it to the Super Bowl with a missing receiver group that had just one participant put up over 600 yards (Stefon Diggs),” Walder wrote. “Nevertheless it gained’t be as straightforward in 2026, as their regular-season schedule might be more durable and it’s unlikely the ocean of AFC groups with elite quarterbacks will half once more for New England. Brown, who had a profitable historical past with coach Mike Vrabel in Tennessee, is a logical match to offer an on the spot improve.”
The commerce would depart the Patriots with a pair of second-round picks. They have already got two fourth-round picks. They might maintain their fifth-round decide, and would have three sixth-round picks left after sending one to the Eagles. In addition they have two second-round picks.
They might get Brown at age 28 and coming off of a barely underwhelming season by his requirements. He had no less than 1,450 yards in every of his first two years with the Eagles. He had 1,003 final season. He has stayed according to touchdowns, posting seven in every of the final three years.
Brown signed a 3-year, $96 million contract extension that kicks in subsequent yr. He’s underneath contract by way of 2029.
“Although Brown’s manufacturing was down final season, the underlying metrics recommend he was nonetheless elite,” Walder wrote. “He completed sixth in ESPN’s overall receiver score and was within the high 10 in open rating. Brown is hardly free, however he would add worth on his present contract and degree of play. The Patriots are surrendering their first-round decide right here, but it surely’s actually a big commerce down since they get a second-round decide again.
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